BBC bosses have secured a major coup by signing Claudia Winkleman to front her own lavish chat show, with reports suggesting the deal is worth an 'absolute fortune' in the 'low millions'. The move is designed to keep the hugely popular presenter firmly within the BBC fold and away from rival broadcasters like ITV.
From Traitors to Talk Shows: A Coveted Friday Night Slot
The new programme, titled The Claudia Winkleman Show, is scheduled to air for seven episodes in the spring of 2025. It will occupy the prestigious Friday night slot, sharing the schedule with Graham Norton's own long-running talk show. Winkleman's appointment follows a successful stint standing in for Norton back in February, which evidently convinced BBC executives of her chat show prowess.
In a statement released yesterday, the 53-year-old presenter expressed her delight and characteristic humility. 'I can't quite believe it and I'm incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity,' she said. 'I'm obviously going to be awful – that goes without saying – but I'm over the moon they're letting me try.'
A 'Passion Project' With No Expense Spared
Insiders indicate that the substantial financial package reflects both Winkleman's market value and the BBC's determination to retain her talents. A source told the Mail Online: 'It's a lot of cash. People are always circling around Claudia... this does mean that there will be little time, or need, for her to do anything with ITV.'
The show is being pitched as a top-tier production. A friend of the presenter revealed it is a 'passion project' for Winkleman, describing it as 'big, all frills, all the bells and whistles.' The budget will also extend to securing A-list guests, with the source adding that 'cash will be thrown' at booking the very best names.
Becoming the BBC's First Leading Female Chat Show Host
This deal marks a significant milestone, as it will make Claudia Winkleman the BBC's first high-profile female chat show host in a prime-time slot. The show will be produced by So Television, the same company behind Graham Norton's successful format.
Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC's head of entertainment commissioning, hailed Winkleman as a 'true national treasure' who is 'warm, witty and endlessly entertaining'. She added: 'She has an extraordinary ability to put people at ease and bring out the very best in them... It's very exciting that she will be fronting her very own show on the BBC.'
The path to this show has been years in the making. The Mirror revealed that BBC executives were keen for her to follow in Norton's footsteps as early as January 2024. Although a pilot was filmed successfully in late 2022, Winkleman's packed schedule—including her Radio 2 show and presenting Strictly Come Dancing for 11 years—previously put plans on ice. Having now stepped back from those commitments, the stage is finally set for her chat show debut.
